Etihad aircraft. Photo: Etihad Etihad Airways marks another milestone in a record year of growth. The airline launched four inaugural flights in three consecutive days, including:
- Tunis: three weekly flights (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), expanding the network in North Africa.
- Hanoi (from November 2): six weekly flights on a Boeing 767, the first direct connection between Abu Dhabi and the capital of Vietnam, deepening trade and tourism ties.
- Chiang Mai (from November 3): four weekly flights (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday), opening northern Thailand to passengers from the Middle East and Europe via Abu Dhabi.
- Hong Kong (from November 3): five weekly flights on Boeing 787, alongside the renewal of a codeshare with Hong Kong Airlines for continued connectivity throughout Asia.
CEO Antonualdo Neves: “Each destination adds a unique character to the chain, from the heritage of Tunis to the energy of Hong Kong, the charm of Chiang Mai, and the vitality of Hanoi. Together they expand the travel options for our guests and bring more visitors to discover Abu Dhabi.”
The move establishes Abu Dhabi as a gateway to the Emirates, allowing for thousands of additional seats on inbound and outbound routes, with an emphasis on the city’s cultural attractions, beaches, resorts, and annual events calendar. At the same time, it expands the destination offering for Emirati residents and visitors, with more choices for leisure and business travel
Abu Dhabi-Hanoi (B787): Combination of morning/evening flight banks for morning or evening arrivals. Total frequency 6 per week.
Abu Dhabi-Chiang Mai (A321LR): Night departure from Abu Dhabi, return morning-4 yhxu, weekly.
Abu Dhabi-Hong Kong (B787): departure evening and arrival morning, return evening-5 yhxu, weekly.
With these launches, Etihad's network now has more than 85 destinations, highlighting its contribution to approximately 45% of the UAE's aviation growth this year.